diff --git a/gtk/tr-icon.c b/gtk/tr-icon.c
index 96dff2fde..126840ec6 100644
--- a/gtk/tr-icon.c
+++ b/gtk/tr-icon.c
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #include "tr-icon.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
+#define MY_NAME "transmission"
+
 #ifndef STATUS_ICON_SUPPORTED
 
 gpointer
@@ -122,18 +124,30 @@ tr_icon_refresh( gpointer vicon )
 gpointer
 tr_icon_new( TrCore * core)
 {
-	const char * icon_name = TRAY_ICON;
-	AppIndicator * indicator = app_indicator_new ( "transmission",
-													icon_name,
-													APP_INDICATOR_CATEGORY_SYSTEM_SERVICES );
+    GtkWidget * w;
+    const char * icon_name;
+    AppIndicator * indicator;
+    GtkIconTheme * theme = gtk_icon_theme_get_default( );
 
-	GtkWidget * indicator_menu = action_get_widget( "/icon-popup" );
+    /* if the tray's icon is a 48x48 file, use it;
+     * otherwise, use the fallback builtin icon */
+    if( !gtk_icon_theme_has_icon( theme, TRAY_ICON ) )
+        icon_name = MY_NAME;
+    else {
+        GtkIconInfo * icon_info = gtk_icon_theme_lookup_icon( theme, TRAY_ICON, 48, GTK_ICON_LOOKUP_USE_BUILTIN );
+        const gboolean icon_is_builtin = gtk_icon_info_get_filename ( icon_info ) == NULL;
+        gtk_icon_info_free ( icon_info );
+        icon_name = icon_is_builtin ? MY_NAME : TRAY_ICON;
+    }
+    
+    indicator = app_indicator_new( MY_NAME, icon_name, APP_INDICATOR_CATEGORY_SYSTEM_SERVICES );
+    app_indicator_set_status( indicator, APP_INDICATOR_STATUS_ACTIVE );
+    w = action_get_widget( "/icon-popup" );
+    app_indicator_set_menu( indicator, GTK_MENU ( w ) );
 
-	app_indicator_set_status ( indicator, APP_INDICATOR_STATUS_ACTIVE );
-	app_indicator_set_menu ( indicator, GTK_MENU (indicator_menu) );
-
-	g_object_set_data( G_OBJECT( indicator ), "tr-core", core );
-	return indicator;
+    g_object_set_data( G_OBJECT( indicator ), "tr-core", core );
+    
+    return indicator;
 }                       
 #else
 gpointer